July 19, 2017

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202-228-7561

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) delivered a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, urging the United States government to promote American companies, workers, and consumers by upholding and enforcing “Open Skies” agreements.

For more than 25 years, the United States has entered into “Open Skies” agreements with other countries to promote free market principles and expand the commercial aviation industry.

These agreements give our aviation industry the opportunity to compete around the world, and enforcing them is vitally important to promoting a free market.

For well over a decade, several countries that claim to operate within Open Skies agreements have been in open violation of these agreements. The Gulf carriers have received an unprecedented level of subsidization in the amount of $50 billion documented since 2004. This blatant disregard for our Open Skies agreements has allowed these airlines to undercut U.S. carriers, financially damaging the U.S. airline industry, jeopardizing service to small-and medium-sized communities, and threatening American jobs.

Failing to enforce our trade agreements harms American companies, workers, communities, and consumers, all of whom these agreements were intended to protect.

I know that you share my belief that American companies will not only compete, but excel in a true free market. Our government should once again stand by them and the agreements we have entered into.

Sincerely,Ted CruzUnited States Senator

By expanding international passenger and cargo flights to and from the United States and allowing U.S. air carriers unlimited market access to our partners’ markets, these agreements have promoted increased travel and trade, and have created good-paying jobs for hardworking men and women in Texas and across the country.